Many different cleaning compositions have been developed for a variety of purposes. Cleaners may include action to remove grease and/or particulate soil, to deodorize, to disinfect (killing both bacterial and viral micro-organisms), to remove stains, to remove mildew, to bleach, and to preserve color of the material being cleaned. Typical fabric cleaning methods may remove or mask odors from fabric containing relatively low levels of malodors. However, when the fabric has relatively high levels of malodorants, or when the fabric contains certain malodors such as those from pet soils, incontinent odors, regurgitated food, general food spills, mold, or mildew, there may be a lingering malodor that is not removed or masked by typical fabric cleaning methods. In such cases where malodor persists after a typical fabric cleaning process, consumers may clean the malodor-containing area of carpet a second, or even a third time. This creates excessive wear on the fabric, especially in the specific area containing the malodor, and can result in an uneven appearance in the fabric due to uneven wear and tear.
Cyclodextrin has been used to control odors in deodorizer and cleaner compositions. Cyclodextrin, however, may interact with perfumes and surfactants when incorporated in detergent compositions, and the level required for malodor control is very high. Odor blockers are used in other compositions. Some odor blockers, when used at the high levels needed for malodor control, may block the desirable odors of perfumes as well as the malodors. Similarly, some masking compounds block desirable odors while reactants can destroy desirable odors.
There thus remains a need for new cleaner and deodorizer compositions, particularly those suitable for fabrics.